Browse Data and Analysis

On February 13, 2023, the National Health Commission (NHC) published an announcement to collect public comments from domestic stakeholders on the formulation or revision of 38 national food safety standards.

On February 2, 2023, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) published a notice on the "Guidelines for Applications for New Plant-Extracted Feed Additives" along with revisions on approved additives. This report provides an unofficial translation of the MARA notice.

The Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR)[1] region and Panama combine to represent the seventh-largest market for U.S consumer-oriented products, totaling $3.7 billion in 2022.

Canada announced that the domestic use of lambda-cyhalothrin on any crops or commodities for feed will be canceled in April 2023. Additional crops will also see uses canceled due to concerns on risks to human health.

Brazil`s economy is still recovering from the negative impacts of the pandemic on its GDP growth, employment, and most sectors of the economy. For 2023, the Brazilian Central Bank (BCB) forecasts GDP to grow 0.76 percent and 1.5 percent in 2024.

Canada grows both wild (low bush) and cultivated (high bush) blueberries and blueberries are Canada's top fruit commodity by growing area and farm gate value.

On February 15, 2023, the State Council Tariff Commission (SCTC) announced to extend the Section 301 retaliatory tariff exclusion period for sorbitol and other select U.S. commodities to September 15, 2023.

China remained the world's largest seafood producer in 2022, with production expected to reach 67.5 million metric tons (MMT), up from the 66.9 MMT in 2021. Production growth continues to be driven by aquaculture which is expected to increase 1.2 percent year-on-year to reach 54.6 MMT in 2022.

On February 3, 2023, China notified a new national standard to the World Trade Organization (WTO) restricting excessive packaging for edible agricultural products (G/TBT/N/CHN/1715). The deadline for comment submission is April 4, 2023.

On February 13, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Central Committee and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) State Council published the 2023 “No. 1 Document,” providing broad guidance for resource allocation and development goals in China’s agricultural sector. Food security remains a top focus with priority given to boosting production of grains and oilseeds and various policies to support farmer income and improvements in rural China.

U.S. agricultural exports to the Dominican Republic reached an all-time record of $2.2 billion in 2022; a 14 percent increase from the previous record set last year. The increase in U.S. exports was driven mainly by increased demand for consumer-oriented products.

In 2023, Mexico’s beef production is forecast to slightly increase, but faces slower consumption growth on a year-to-year basis as food inflation soars. As herd numbers increase, overall cattle slaughter is expected to rise. Carcass weights are expected to marginally decrease in 2023 and are offset by larger slaughter numbers of slightly younger animals.